126 



SPABID.E. 



The jaws are short, and equal in length ; the teeth as 

 shown in the vignette below : the eye very large, irides 

 golden yellow : the head short, the line of the profile descends 

 rapidly : cheeks, operculum, and interoperculum covered with 

 scales ; preoperculum, part of the space before and under the 

 orbit, of a metallic tinfoil appearance : two narrow stripes on 

 each side behind the head, which meet on the central line at 

 the top ; at the origin of the lateral line, behind the edge of 

 the operculum, a conspicuous dark patch made up of small 

 spots : the colour of the body is reddish, tinged with grey ; 

 lighter on the sides, which are golden grey, and marked with 

 faint longitudinal bands the whole length of the body : the 

 belly nearly white ; dorsal and anal fins brown, each appearing 

 as if lodged in a groove, from the rising edges of the skin and 

 scales along the base ; pectorals and tail red ; ventrals grey. 



The number of fin-rays are, 



D. 12+ 13 : P. 17 : V. 1 +5 : A. 3+ 12 : C. 17. 



